President Joe Biden praised Vice President Kamala Harris for running “an inspiring campaign” and called on the country to unite behind a fair election during his first public remarks since President-elect Donald Trump’s victory.
“The will of the people always prevails,” Biden told a group of his staffers, Cabinet members and some family members in the Rose Garden Thursday. He added, “I’ve said many times: You can’t love your country only when you win. You can’t love your neighbor only when you agree.”
Biden, who spoke to Trump Wednesday to congratulate him on his victory and invite him to a White House meeting, commended Harris as having “a backbone like a ramrod” amid her decisive loss.
The president is already facing heat from fellow Democrats who blame him for not stepping aside from his reelection campaign soon enough, squandering Harris’ chances at winning.
But Biden praised his legacy as leaving behind “the strongest economy in the world” and called on members of his administration to “make every day count” before passing the torch in a peaceful transfer of power.
He also repeated his call for Americans to “bring down the temperature” amid deep political divisions.
“Setbacks are unavoidable, but giving up is unforgivable,” Biden stressed, adding, “We’re going to be okay, but we need to stay engaged.”
